“Whoa! Mark, your stepmom’s here. She’s so scary!”
One of the boys looked at Amanda’s fierce expression and was so frightened he nearly cried.
Amanda noticed the dirt smeared across her son's small face. A cold glint flashed through her peach blossom eyes—sharp, aggressive, and dangerous.
All three kids were stunned into silence.
“Apologize to Mark!”
Her sudden roar shook the room, and the atmosphere instantly turned still and tense.
The little girl standing nearby burst into tears. “Hmph! I’m not apologizing to a blind brat! He’s not just blind—he’s mute too! I’ve never heard him speak!”
“Shut up!”
Amanda glared at the three children, her expression murderous.
Is this how they’ve been treating Mark all this time?
Heartache surged through her chest.
“Apologize. If you don’t, then all three of you are going to eat dirt before you leave.”
She towered over the three eight- or nine-year-old kids like a queen holding court.
Gently, she pulled out a tissue and wiped the mud off her son's face.
Mark kept his eyes down, cheeks puffed up.
In the past, whenever he was bullied, he just endured it quietly.
Now that someone was protecting him… he felt a little out of place.
“Hmph! We’re not apologizing. Why should we say sorry to a blind kid? My mom says he’s going to die soon anyway.”
Charlie Schmidt—the son of Benjamin’s eldest nephew—had always loved picking on Mark.
Amanda looked at the three spoiled brats with calm disdain.
They were arrogant, fearless, clearly used to getting their way.
She grabbed a handful of mud off the ground, her crimson lips curved into a cold smile. Her eyes were sharp and merciless.
“Fine. Then you can eat dirt before you go.”
She shoved the mud into their mouths one by one.
The terrified kids started crying and ran off screaming.
Amanda didn’t spare them a second glance.
She didn’t go looking for trouble, but the rest of the Schmidt family certainly wouldn’t go easy on her anyway.
Getting justice for her son felt amazing.
After helping Mark rinse his mouth with clean water, she proudly brought out the food she’d made.
“Baby, I made honey-glazed chicken bites, crispy cod nuggets, pan-seared tofu, and cabbage soup. Let’s eat first, okay?”
Mark was a little surprised.
So… she really was his stepmom.
Grandpa must have gone senile to marry this woman to Dad.
But this time, Mark didn’t act up.
He knew someone would be coming soon to cause trouble. If he didn’t eat now, he’d go hungry tonight.
He hadn’t eaten in three days—and he was truly starving.
Besides, he needed to get better so he could go find Mom!
Amanda fed him shrimp porridge first, then gave him bites of the other dishes.
As he ate, Mark’s eyes turned red.
It was so good.
He even suspected that the food he’d eaten before was the reason he lost his sight.
But now… he was already blind.
They fed him whatever they wanted. He had no choice but to eat it.
Amanda watched as he finished every bite, her heart glowing with joy.
“Baby, let’s go rest now, okay?” she asked gently.
Mark didn’t refuse, letting her carry him.
There was a good show coming—he didn’t want to miss it.
Amanda didn’t know her five-year-old son was deceptively cunning.
If it weren’t for his blindness, those bratty Schmidt family kids wouldn’t dare bully him.
Back then, he’d made those same brats cry for days.
Even if the adults didn’t understand him and saw him as a little monster, he didn’t care.
His father was the ruler of Cindale’s business world—the power behind the mighty Schmidt Empire.
As his son, how could he let himself be easily bullied?
Mark didn’t say a word the whole time.
Even while bathing, he was tense and silent.
Amanda gently bathed him, dressed him in clean clothes, and carefully dried his hair.
Looking at her sweet-smelling little boy, her throat grew tight.
“Mark, let’s get some rest.”
Finding her son so quickly after arriving—tonight, she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep from sheer happiness.
Mark clenched his little fists and gave a faint nod.
He liked her embrace—it was warm.
Amanda carried him over and gently placed him on the bed beside Benjamin.
The bed was big, but she didn’t dare lie next to him.
She turned to ask the butler to bring her some bedding—but then—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A pounding came at the door.
Mark said coolly,
“Hmph. You’re in trouble.”
He was curious to see how she’d handle this.
After all, Charlie’s grandmother… was a terrifying old witch.
“Ah…” Howard was startled.Before he could react, the door was slammed shut behind him.A familiar, light fragrance brushed past him—it gave him a strange feeling of déjà vu.“Huff…” Fanny was panting heavily, a sheen of sweat on her forehead.Her voluminous curls cascaded down her shoulders, a forehead ribbon between her brows, and the red dress she wore billowed like a goddess descending to earth—radiant and enchanting.Howard’s eyes were full of awe. What a beautiful woman. He was momentarily stunned.Then he noticed that the woman was eyeing him warily.Before he could speak—BANG!The door was kicked open with force.The man who entered was instantly recognized by Howard—Micheal—followed by four bodyguards. All of them were also panting.Micheal stared coldly at the terrified and disheveled Fanny and sneered, “Fanny, where the hell do you think you can run now? On our wedding night, you slept with anot
When Amanda woke up, it was already 3 PM. She blinked blankly at her surroundings. She had overslept and her body felt uncomfortable.Looking to her side, she saw her son was already up and likely studying.She slowly sat up, glanced around the room again, then lay back down. Picking up her phone and checking the time, she eventually sat up again and messaged the kids' group chat:**\[Babies, it’s time to study!]****Tod:** *\[Mommy, I’m already studying.]***Ted:** *\[Reporting to Mommy, I’ve finished studying and now I’m lying dead on the couch.]*Amanda: “…”**Terry:** *\[Reporting to Mommy! I’ve finished studying too. I’m out shopping with Grandma.]*Ah, my hardworking Terry Baby—fighting for life so diligently!Amanda smiled in happiness. All the hardships were worth it—her four little beans were just too adorable.**Amanda:** *\[Muah muah, Mommy loves you all!]***Second, Third, and Fourth Babies:** *
“Th-Lady Mary…” Evelyn stammered, her tongue knotting.Why was Mary here?This Lady Mary, always elegant yet sharp-tongued, had rarely paid her any attention because of her close ties to Delphine.Mary gave her a deep, cool glance, her expression blank but her posture noble and proud.If she hadn't been observant over the years, she wouldn’t be enjoying this fortunate moment.“This is your daughter, Carol, isn’t it? Raving like a lunatic. Keep her in check. My daughter is unwell right now—don’t let her disturb her.” Mary already knew that Amanda had returned to take revenge. Sooner or later, Evelyn would have to pay the price for the seeds of evil she had sown.Evelyn’s heart thumped hard. In the past, she had basked in glory. Who had ever dared speak to her this way?But now wasn’t the time to argue. She bit her lip and quietly dragged her raving daughter out of the room.“Don’t pull me! Let me go! I don’t want to die, please,
When Amanda saw the call was from Aunt Hilda, her mood instantly lifted.“Aunt Hilda.”“Amanda, I’m back. Don’t worry about the kids—I’ll take good care of them.”Listening to the affectionate voice of Aunt Hilda, Amanda felt a warm joy. With Aunt Hilda there, she truly felt at ease.In contrast, she couldn’t fully trust Fanny and Cindy. Those two besties were kind, but they had one fatal flaw—they were suckers for handsome men.Burly men from the boxing gym were their ultimate obsession. The moment they saw a good-looking guy, they'd lose track of their own kids.Why?Because: hot!Just one punch and they could knock a thug out. That kind of strength was their ultimate turn-on.Amanda smiled happily. “Now that you’re back, Aunt Hilda, I can relax.”Aunt Hilda had taken care of her for six years, from their time abroad to their return to
Benjamin pressed his lips together, saying nothing.He lowered his gaze to his legs, looking despondent. “I’m crippled. I’ll never stand again in this lifetime.”Jennifer’s expression shifted as soon as she heard that. Her hand tightened subtly around the strap of her handbag.Seeing the change in her expression, Benjamin’s smile turned even colder.After a long pause, Jennifer finally asked, “Benjamin, I heard Samantha has started treating you. Is there really no hope?”She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was lying to her.If he truly was crippled, then she’d have to reconsider things more carefully.But the information she received said otherwise—Samantha’s medical skills were renowned. If anyone could help Benjamin walk again, it would be him.And this man was hers.He belonged on the pinnacle of the world, towering above the masses. And she wa
“Ah…” Amanda was momentarily stunned. Why hadn’t this topic passed yet?She pointed at the design drafts in his hands.“I’ve already given you the designs. Why would I need to officially join the company? If you like them, take them. I want to stay home and spend time with Mark.”After speaking, she stood up and stretched lazily, paying no mind to Benjamin.Two hours of sitting motionless left her whole body sore.That soreness reminded her—everything comes at a cost.But Benjamin had helped her. She was willing to return the favor without expecting anything in return. It was the least she could do.Benjamin hadn’t expected her to reject him. Did she truly not realize what kind of company his jewelry firm was?“Amanda, do you know what the annual salary is for a chief designer at my company?”Amanda looked at him, smiled, and shook her head nonchalantly.